Plant Library

Other Names:  Lemon Beebrush, Aloysia triphylla, Lippia

Description:

A woody shrub, producing shiny, lanceolate green leaves with a strong aroma and taste of lemon; used for culinary purposes; grows quite large in frost free areas; subtle, fragrant white flower spikes appear from mid-summer to fall; great along walkways

Edible Qualities

Lemon Verbena is a woody herb that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. The fragrant narrow emerald green leaves can be harvested at any time in the season. The leaves have a zesty taste and a pleasant fragrance.

The leaves are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Baking
• Preserves
• Seasoning
• Tea

Features & Attributes

Lemon Verbena features subtle spikes of fragrant white bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches from mid summer to early fall. It has emerald green evergreen foliage. The fragrant narrow leaves remain emerald green throughout the winter.

This is a multi-stemmed evergreen woody herb with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Lemon Verbena is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lemon Verbena will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This plant is typically grown in a designated herb garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America..

Lemon Verbena is a good choice for the edible garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.